Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 173

Devanagari script

सप्तलोकमयं साध्या बहूरूपेति नाम च । दूर्वांकुरमयं लिंगमृतवः सर्वनाम च

Transliteration

saptalokamayaṃ sādhyā bahūrūpeti nāma ca | dūrvāṃkuramayaṃ liṃgamṛtavaḥ sarvanāma ca

Translation

سادھیاؤں نے ساتوں لوکوں کے پیکر والا ایک مقدّس لِنگ قائم کیا؛ اس کا نام ‘بہوروپ’ یعنی ‘کثیر صورت’ ہے۔ رِتُوؤں نے نرم دُروَا کے کونپلوں سے بنا لِنگ نصب کیا؛ وہ ‘سَروَنامَن’ یعنی ‘سب ناموں والا’ کہلاتا ہے۔

Word by Word

• सप्तलोकमयम्: made of/consisting of the seven worlds
• सप्तलोकमयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सप्त (प्रातिपदिक) + लोक (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण (adjectival) — ‘सप्तलोकैः/सप्तलोकस्य मयम्’ इति भावः

• साध्याः: the Sādhyas
• साध्याः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: साध्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन; ‘साध्य’ देवगणः (a class of deities)

• बहूरूपा: (named) Bahurūpā
• बहूरूपा: Predicate/Name (Saṃjñā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बहु (प्रातिपदिक) + रूप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; नामरूपेण (as a proper name)

• इति: thus
• इति: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उक्त्यर्थक-अव्यय (quotative particle)

• नाम: by name
• नाम: Discourse marker
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय)
• Form: नामार्थक-अव्यय (particle indicating naming)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

• दूर्वाङ्कुरमयम्: made of dūrvā sprouts
• दूर्वाङ्कुरमयम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दूर्वा (प्रातिपदिक) + अङ्कुर (प्रातिपदिक) + मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषण — ‘दूर्वाङ्कुरैः मयम्’

• लिङ्गम्: liṅga (emblem)
• लिङ्गम्: Karma/Predicate object (Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लिङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन

• ऋतवः: the seasons
• ऋतवः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ऋतु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), बहुवचन

• सर्वनाम: (named) Sarvanāma
• सर्वनाम: Predicate/Name (Saṃjñā)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक) + नाम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; नामरूपेण (as a proper name)

• च: and
• च: Connector
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय (conjunction)

Speaker

Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) addressing the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)

Tirtha Mahatmya

Type: kshetra

Visual Art Cues

Scene: A sacred precinct where divine Sādhyas install a radiant liṅga embodying seven worlds; nearby the Seasons personified offer a tender green dūrvā-shoot liṅga, garlanded with fresh grass and dew.

Characters & Entities

• Sādhyas
• Bahurūpa
• Ṛtus (Seasons)
• Dūrvā
• Sarvanāman
• Śiva (implied by liṅga)

FAQs

What is the primary spiritual lesson of this shloka?

Śiva is cosmic (pervading seven worlds) and also intimate (worshiped with simple dūrvā); both grandeur and simplicity lead to merit.

Which specific holy site (Tirtha) is glorified here?

None is specified in this verse; it serves the chapter’s generalized Liṅga Māhātmya.

What ritualistic prescription is mentioned?

The verse hints at dūrvā usage in worship (a common upacāra), but gives no step-by-step injunction.